All-Star Hawk & Dove Vol 3: The Birds and the Cat
by T. L. Veselka
Summary: There's a new baddie in town but this one seems to be a match for Hawk
1. The Birds and the Cat Pt 1

**298 Juez St., Elmond**

Don groaned when his alarm started buzzing in his ear. He reached up and slammed his hand down on the alarm. It didn't stop. Grunting in annoyance, he propped himself up on one elbow and glared blearily at the red digital display. He gave the buttons another annoyed tap and this time the clock silenced itself. Don's entire body was sore, he felt as if he been in a fight. Then he remembered that he had been.

Moaning and groaning he sat up all the way and slipped on a pair of house shoes. He rubbed his eyes and then tussled his hair. He had never been much of a morning person. He stretched his arms and cracked his back. He stood up and went over to his thin vanity mirror. He turned his shirtless back to the mirror and looked. There was no evidence of the knife slash he had received in the brawl yesterday.

He went across the room and opened his double-door closet. He fished out a plain white T and slid it on, next came pajama bottoms and a pair of socks. By the time he left his room and went to the family bathroom he had finally begun to wake in earnest. He rattled the handle to the bathroom. Someone else was already in there.

"Come on, Hank," Don croaked. "I have to piss like a race horse."

"Should have run like one then, bro," Hank laughed inside. Don heard Hank clink something against the bathroom counter, he sighed, it would probably be another twenty minutes before he was going to be able to get in the bathroom.

Don turned in defeat and headed down to the dining room. His father sat at the table, carefully reading the newspaper. Don could hear the news going on in the background as he took a seat for himself. His father had a bowl of bran flakes in front of him with an empty spoon in his hand. He didn't say a word when Don entered.

"Local police are baffled for clues today as they investigate the robbery of local millionaire Westin Brooks' apartment," a reporter declared on channel 4 morning news. "The robbery apparently happened sometime last night, after mister Brooks had retired for the night. What has police baffled is that despite extremely tight security in the well-known "Crown Estates" high-rise apartment building the burglar didn't trip any alarms and wasn't caught on any of the hundreds of security cameras."

"Are you heading back to work tomorrow?" Don asked.

"I haven't decided yet," his father told him without taking his eyes from the paper. "Why haven't you showered yet?"

"Wow," Don sniffed his white T. "How could you tell without even looking at me? Do I small that bad?"

"Yes," his father deadpanned. "Now, why haven't you showered?"

"Hank's hogging the bathroom again, as usual," Don answered.

"Hank!" their father shouted.

"I'm out already!" they heard Hank shout back, as he tried to stealthily close the bathroom door behind himself.

Don stood up to race to the bathroom. "What are your plans for the day?" his father's question made him pause mid-step.

"Actually," Don stopped himself. "I was hoping I could go and just hang out with Mark, I'm tired of sitting at home."

"Try to make sure your brother gets out today too," Irwin Hall instructed. "It does him no good to sit at home moping with me."

"Okay, dad," Don said aloud. Under his breath he whispered something more. "Hank's been doing anything but moping."

 **"** **The Birds and the Cat"**

 **Part 1: New Cat in Town**

 **By T. L. Veselka**

 **Downtown Elmond, five hours earlier**

The Crown Estates had long been the place for the elite of Elmond to live and enjoy themselves without being bothered by the pesky outside world. These apartments didn't belong to the richest people in the state, though the general attitude of the residents belied that. It was the tallest building in all of Elmond at fifteen stories tall.

One of the reasons that the millionaires of Elmond felt so secure in their hideaway in downtown Elmond was the security cameras. There were exactly one hundred cameras placed throughout not only the grounds and parking lot but also inside of the building itself. Another reason was the well-staffed security with a minimum of two guards on duty at any given time with more usually on call ready to come if called.

The staff had thorough background checks, if you wanted a job at Crown Estates you might as well be working for government security with all of the requirements needed to obtain a position. The residents, being the local stars, were usually up at all hours of the night, but parties were kept within local residents and a few others. General members of the public weren't allowed on the lot and even public services had to go through a thorough security screening. Emergency services were the only exception.

Despite all of the extra security measures someone was at the perimeter fence, looking in. The man was dressed entirely in black and even had gone through the trouble of painting his face black, though it was covered in a ski mask. Various tools and pouches were sewn onto his strange all black outfit, and his hands, holding onto the fence, were covered in black leather gloves.

The fence had triangular bars only five inches apart that made it harder to enter than to exit the fence. The man crouched low and stuck his head in-between two bars. At first anyone would have laughed at the thought of the man sliding through the fence. Then, with a little wriggle the man's head slowly began to press through the angular bars.

Slowly his head passed through the bars until it was his neck that was between them and his head passed to the other side. The man sidled into position again, forcing his torso sideways so that his shoulders were parallel to the bars. He slowly began to push through the bars and as if by miracle inch by inch his body passed through until his buttocks stopped him from sliding through any further.

The man blew out all of the air in his body and with a quick thrust and a grunt his buttocks were through, the rest was easy. He reached back through the fence and retrieved a small black bag, turning he ran towards the apartments. As he ran he zigged and zagged in a strange pattern that no one would have recognized, but the cameras surveying the grounds never even caught a glimpse of him.

 **Crowne Estates, Elmond**

Being one of the star college football players had its perks, especially in Elmond. By noon Hank had heard about a hundred times about how Westin Brooks had burglarized. He smiled as he approached Crowne Estates with a fellow player, Fernando Jimenez, in his yellow Mustang. Fernando lived here with his rich girlfriend, her parents paid for everything.

"Man, with security like this I am shocked they didn't catch the robber on camera for even a single frame," Hank commented as they stopped at the guardhouse. "How do you think he did it?"

"Man, I don't got any idea," Fernando shrugged and drove through the gate as security permitted him through.

Hank had sought out Fernando earlier that day after hearing that Crowne Estates had been burglarized. Fernando didn't really care about the robbery though, he probably figured it was a onetime thing, Hank hoped it wasn't.

"You're sure Westin lives on the eighth floor?"

"Yeah man," Fernando's voice was getting irritated. "Since when did you and your brother decide to become the Hardy Boys?"

"My brother?"

"Yeah he was playing twenty questions about the robbery, just like you." Fernando parked at his saved space.

Hank tried not to look suspicious as they exited the car and he glanced around for cameras and other security measures, after all he was going to have to know how to avoid them too. He was coming back tonight to find this burglar.

 **Later that night . . .**

Hank stalked along the security fence. He had wanted Don to join him but his brother had already gone out for the evening by the time Hank had gotten home from Fernando's. He didn't know why he always felt better when his brother was nearby. He had always thought of Don as an annoyance but ever since their mother had been killed Hank hated to be far from his father or his brother.

He was getting close to the corner of the property, if he turned to the front it would greatly increase his chances of getting caught by security. He glanced around, no one was nearby, and all he could hear were crickets chirping.

"Hawk!" He called out as quietly as he could.

With a flash of light Hank changed into Hawk, his muscles expanding, his bones strengthening. If he turned into the Hawk then trouble must be present. It had to be the burglar. Breathing a quick prayer under his breath Hank leaped and somersaulted over the fence. He landed on the other side with an exhalation of relief, he hadn't been sure could do that.

Usually there were several parties going on every night but tonight the tower stood dark and silent, a grim visage waiting for trouble that was sure to come. Hank realized there was no way for him to avoid being seen, at least he had already been able to turn into Hawk. He rushed toward the building, searching out the best cover he could in the dimly lit garden lawn.

"Alright, burglar," Hank whispered to himself as he drew near the fancy apartments. "What are you searching for?"

Hank approached the building and psyched himself up, breathing deeply in and out, bouncing on his restless legs. He was going try something else he had never done before tonight. He placed his hands against the wall, they were more sensitive to touch than they had ever been even through his scarlet gloves. He found small almost insignificant crevices to jam them against and using his greater strength he began to scale the outside wall of the tower.

 **Apartment 52**

The apartment was dark but it was far from silent. The crashing of glass and clattering of paraphernalia falling to the floor rattled the otherwise still air. A single beam of light, emitted from a small flashlight, traced a path over drawers and paintings, anything that could be of value.

Holding the flashlight was a man dressed all in black with a black hood that covered all but his yellow eyes and grinning mouth. He shoved anything in his way aside, littering the floor with broken memorabilia. He found some random cash and pocketed before moving on to the paintings, tearing them off the wall. He was so busy ransacking the place he didn't notice a window behind him slowly open.

In a flash of crimson and white Hawk collided with the man in black. Hank struggled to get a grasp on the mystery thief, the man twisted and turned in his grasp better than anyone ever had on the football field. It was like trying to keep a grasp on a greased eel, every time he thought he had a good grip on the man he just slipped through his fingers.

Hank was glad no one could see him as they tumbled about on the floor. The strange floor wrestling match would have looked awkward and embarrassing, maybe even gay. Hank tried to punch the shadowy thief but the man seemed to easily dodge all of his blows. Who was this guy?

Hawk pulled back and brought his fist crashing down as hard as he could. Again he missed, smashing his hand into the polished wood floor.

"Son of a –" Hank began, just as the man kicked him in the stomach, knocking the wind from him. The thief slid out from under him, and odd sound coming from him. Hawk couldn't figure out what it was at first. The man kept making the sound until Hawk realized it was laughter.

The man was actually laughing as they struggled against each other. Now Hank was pissed off.

"Who the hell are you?"

"Why the hell would you ask me that?" the man's voice was kind of high and grated against Hank's nerves. "You gonna tell me who you are?"

"Fat chance," Hawk grabbed a chair and threw it at his black-clad opponent, the man dodged the flying furniture easily, but it had only been a distraction. Hawk was upon the thief once more and this time he had more success.

One heavy punch finally landed on the thief's face, sending him stumbling back over the mess he had made. Hawk dove after him. The man scrambled to his feet impossibly fast, though still a little uneven on his feet.

"No one's been able to land a punch since I've become the cat," the man's unusually colored eyes narrowed on Hawk. "What exactly are you?"

"The guy whose gonna bring you in," Hawk proclaimed, lunging forward again. The man agilely jumped aside avoiding yet another blow.

I don't think so," the man snarled. "You wanna be Batman." The Cat leaped forward and slashed at Hawk with his hands.

Hawk was shocked when the man's blow connected and searing pain ran down his torso. The Cat had claws.

The pain was blinding, more than a few simple scratches should have been. Hawk stumbled a little in surprise. By the time he regained his footing he glanced around only to find that the Cat had fled the coop. Hawk was so busy looking for his vanished opponent he failed to notice as the front door to the apartment open up.

"Oh my God!"

Hawk spun around. A young woman about his age stood there with a cell phone pressed to her ear, her perfect mouth hanging open. Hawk knew this was the absolute wrong time to be thinking this but this girl was perfect. Her hair, flowing just past her shoulders, famed her perfectly formed face with gently curling locks, her shocked eyes a stunning green.

"Erm, this isn't what it looks like," Hawk began, stumbling over himself verbally and physically.

"Aaaaaaaaahhhhh!" The girl let loose and ear-piercing scream that caused Hawk to slam his palms to his ears. She took a breath then screamed again.

Realizing it was a lost cause Hawk turned and sprinted across her living room and dove out the window, forgetting for just a moment that he was five stories up.


	2. The Birds and the Cat Pt 2: Cat vs Birds

**Elmond High School**

Hank was trying to hide the fact that his legs were still hurting. It was never good for a jock to look weak, especially in small town America. He wasn't worried so much about what his fellow students thought so much as what his coach would say. His coach was never happy with self-inflicted injuries, especially now that Hank was at the top of his game. Coach Henderson saw big things in Hank's future.

He was busy trying to think of how he was going to get out of practice when he saw her. The girl from last night. She was standing at the entrance of the high school surrounded by friends, she was telling a story very animatedly. Her arms, perfectly kissed by the sun, waved about as her face contorted into all sorts of beautiful expressions. He was so entranced by her that he walked, quite literally, right into Coach Henderson.

"Stop dreaming, Hank!" the coach grumped at him good-naturedly. "I'm gonna need your head in the game today."

"Yes, Coach," Hank blushed when he said it. He was glad his coach had no idea Hank had just been planning to get out of the practice game.

Trying his damndest to walk normally, despite his burning legs, Hank waved goodbye to his coach and headed into school. His crush had already disappeared.

 **"The Birds and the Cat"**

 **Part 2: Cat vs Birds**

 **By T. L. Veselka**

 **Later . . .**

Hank had been trying to find out who his crush was all day, though usually when he described her his friends laughed and he blushed. It wasn't until lunch that he finally saw her sparkling smile again. His head was definitely nowhere near the game. It was all wrapped around the girl. Good thing he found her.

It was in the cafeteria of course. She was still surrounded by all her girl friends, Hank hated that. He had no problem talking to a girl but when she was surrounded by the sharp judgmental eyes of her friends, just waiting for him to slip up, he always fulfilled their wishes. Guys never needed to cluster in groups of eight, why did girls?

He got his food, avoiding his friends for once, in hopes that when he was done at least some of the girls would have scattered. No such luck. When he casually walked by her table he noticed two more had joined her. Seriously? How the hell was he supposed to talk to her?

"Hey, Hank!"

Hank sighed. "Hi Don." He really didn't mean to make his voice that monotone. "What's up?"

"Nothing much," Don pretended to be casual, Hank saw right through him. "Just wondering what you were up to last night."

"Nothing." Hank didn't allow himself to say much. The less he said the less chance he had of incriminating himself.

"Oh?" Don's voice was oozing false innocence. "Is that why Linda over there keeps telling everyone the hero Hawk robbed her last night? She has to be mistaken, doesn't she?"

"Her name is Linda?"

"You have got to be kidding me right now."

"Thanks, bro."

"You aren't kidding."

Hank approached the table full of girls. At least he had a name now. That was at least something to start with. He approached the gaggle of teenage girls, they all went quiet and stared at him. His stomach dropped.

"Hey," he tried lamely. "You're Linda, right?" Linda looked surprised to find Hank standing before her.

"Sure, now that she is famous you are interested in her," one of Linda's friends sniped with a sneer.

What was that supposed to mean? Hank stood there dumbly, unsure of how to reply to the girl's statement or if he even should. Hank hadn't even noticed that Don had already walked away, rolling his eyes.

"Famous?" Hank finally managed.

"As if you haven't heard that she caught one of those supposed superheroes robbing her last night."

"What?!" Hank was genuinely horrified with the statement.

"What, have you been living under a rock? Everybody knows that the red and white superhero that saved your dad robbed Linda's parents last night."

"That can't be right."

"Face it, Hank, your hero's a villain."

"Leave him alone, Jenny," Linda finally spoke up. "She's right you know, that superhero Hawk broke into my parents safe when I walked in on him. I must have surprised him because he ran off before he took anything."

"He saved my dad's life, he's a hero!"

"Tell that to my parents."

Hank was at a loss, he had no idea what to say. Linda's friend, Jenny, smirked at him mockingly. Defeated and not wanting to seem like a creep Hank silently turned and walked away.

"Wait!" came Linda's voice. Hank turned around. "I've been in a bad mood since last night, I didn't mean to be a jerk. Why don't we talk tomorrow when I'm not as prone to bite your head off?"

Hank smiled, relieved. "Sounds good."

 **298 Juez St., Elmond**

"You're such a jerk, Hank!" Don accused as Hank came limping in from football practice, it had been brutal.

"What are you whining about now?" Hank grouched, he was in no mood for Don's emotions after ninety minutes of pure pain.

"Are you serious right now?" Don was obviously very upset. Hank didn't care.

"God! Just stop your whining and tell me what this is about already!"

Don breathed in deeply through his nose and slowly out his mouth, it was a relaxing technique. It wasn't working.

"Did you seriously stalk some girl today after she caught you, as Hawk, sneaking around in her house?"

"No!" Hank denied. Don just looked at him in disbelief. Now that he had heard it put that way Hank had to admit it did sound pretty creepy.

"Not exactly," the football star tried again.

"Not exactly?"

"If you would have come with me you'd understand!"

"I wasn't invited."

Oh yeah. Hank was getting annoyed at having to answer to his little brother. "What's it to you anyway?"

"She saw Hawk near her safe, she thinks he robbed her."

"So? What do you care?"

"I'm Dove."

"What are you getting at?"

"We're partners!" Don shouted in annoyance. "If you're in trouble, I'm in trouble. If Hawk is a thief, then so am I! Don't they teach teamwork in football?"

Hank was pissed. Don was right. He just glared at his brother for a second before shoving him aside and storming off to his room.

 **Later . . .**

Don was hunched in front of his laptop, typing away at breakneck speed when Hank had finally calmed down enough to go looking for him. Hank hated it when he knew he was completely in the wrong, especially where his annoying bookish younger brother was concerned.

"Hey, Don, " Hank approached as casually as possible. Don didn't say a word, he didn't even look up from his screen. Don only ignored him when he was really furious with him.

"Look, I realize going after the Cat alone was my mistake and so this is all my fault." He paused hoping Don would say something, he didn't. "What I'm trying to say is, this is my fault and I gotta fix it. I'm going after the cat and was hoping you would join me, so I don't make another stupid mistake."

Don stared at him in silence for too long. "That's all I needed to hear." Don paused for a moment. "And by the way, I hate you."

"So, time to suit up?"

Don smiled.

 **Crowne Estates, Elmond**

As agile and strong as the Cat was, he wasn't very bright. The pair of teenage superheroes leaped over the fence of the luxury apartment complex. They didn't care if they were spotted by the security cameras. Somehow they both instinctively knew that the Cat was already there, they could sense him.

"This place is teeming with guards, we better sneak in the back, " Don suggested.

"I've been here, they'll have that covered. We've got to jump up onto a second-floor balcony and sneak in that way."

"What?! Are you crazy?"

"We can do it!"

"But should we?"

"Come on, Don! Security will show up any second!"

"I don't know, " Don began.

"I do!" Hank interrupted. He jumped.

"Dammit!" Dove cursed, a rarity,

Hawk stood at the balcony's edge and waited. He fully expected his brother to chicken out on him. He was surprised when a blue and white clad form appeared at his side.

"I can feel him, " Dove pronounced almost immediately after landing.

"We go up, " Hawk agreed.

"Four flights, " Don pronounced. Hank nodded in agreement. They ran.

They followed their superhuman instincts to apartment 63. It was dark and quiet when they slid through the door. Dove made Hawk promise to replace the doorknob he had destroyed getting them inside.

"Do you think we just missed him?"

Hank knew better than to assume the Cat had left just because they couldn't see or hear him. "He's here."

The pair crept through the dark spacious apartment, never wandering too far from each other. Hank's ears and eyes were on full alert. Years of playing football and basketball had trained his eyes to watch for subtle movements. That's what saved him.

The Cat, in the same outfit as before, came leaping from the shadows, his sharp claws glimmered in the moonlight. Hank had seen the shift in the darkest of shadows a mere split-second before and had already begun to act. He ducked low and stretched upward with one taloned hand. To Hank's surprise, the Cat twisted in mid-air narrowly avoiding serious injury, though there was a satisfying rip as the tips of Hawk's talons tore through the Cat's dark uniform.

The cat still managed to land agilely on his feet, his claws still extended menacingly. Where in the hell was Dove?

"Nicely done, Hawk!" Dove grabbed a nearby guitar and waved it menacingly.

The Cat spun around, obviously surprised by Dove's sudden appearance. "So, you are both here."

"That's right, you aren't getting away so easily this time, " Hawk boasted, a big grin spread across his face.

The Cat was obviously rethinking his strategy. He tried to wiggle away backward but the two young heroes closed in on him like a pincer. The Cat demonstrated where he got his namesake as he leaped backward against the wall only to use the force to propel himself, somersaulting, over their heads.

The boys were nearly as fast as they turned and sprinted after his fleeing midnight form. The burglar sped through the apartment as if intimately familiar with it, but the pair of superheroes weren't far behind him. Trying a new tactic the burglar fled into the kitchen grabbing anything he could get his hands on, apples, knives, and pans, to throw at his pursuers.

Hawk and Dove slapped aside the projectiles as if they were nothing more than popcorn balls. The Cat leaped over the counter and dashed into an adjacent room, a massive living room area. It took them a second but the boys were right back on top of him, faces lit up with built-up frustration.

"No! Stay away!" the Cat almost pleaded. It was such a sudden reversal in attitudes that it caused the heroes to pause. The Cat took advantage and scrambled for the front door.

Hawk roared as he finally tackled the black-clad villain to the entryway floor. The two wrestled frantically with each other, panic clear on the Cat's face. Then Dove jumped in, wrestling one of Cat's arms to the floor.

That's when it happened.

Suddenly the Cat literally shrunk in Hawk's hands. The thief's well-muscled frame shrunk to that of a man that never exercised, his body barely more than skin and bones.

"What have you done?" shrieked the transformed Cat. Hawk was stunned at the sight of the once mighty man now drowning in his oversized garments. "Please, don't do this to me!"

"We didn't do this!" Dove protested.

The man ignored him. "Give them back, please, I am begging you! I can't live like this after being the Cat!"

"Dude, who are you talking to?" Hawk interjected.

"I'll avoid them from now on, I swear! I'll do anything you ask!"

"He's lost it, " Hawk surmised.

Don, though, was watching intently, his eyes narrowed with suspicion. "I wouldn't be so sure of that."

"What do you-" Hank began before he was interrupted.

"What's going on in here?" a voice demanded, a flashlight beam falling on Hawk's angry face.

"It's the thief, Hawk!" someone gasped.

"We've got your real thief, right here, " Hawk pronounced angrily, collating the husk of a man that had been known as the Cat.

"Who's that?" more flashlights joined the first.

 **Elmond High School, the next day**

Hank was too tired to care who saw him moping into school like a loser, his head bowed and his gait slowed. Sure, he had cleared his name last night but he had been up until past two A.M. to do it. He had far too many sleepless of late. Practice was going to kill him.

"Hi, Hank," a beautiful voice suddenly broke him from self-pity party.

"Oh, hey, " he didn't know what else to say, Linda was suddenly standing radiantly before him, all smiles.

"Sorry I was such a jerk to you yesterday, " Linda apologized.

"Don't mention it."

"Did you hear? I guess your hero's innocent after all, be caught the real burglar last night."

"I heard."

"Can you believe it was our custodian?"

"No, " Hank was still in a bit if a daze.

"Well, why don't you let me get you an apology coffee?"

Hank smiled. "I'd like that


End file.
